What's This Life For?
by Masqueadrift
Summary: Buahahaha! It's me again. Sick of me yet, Hmm? Anyway, I have another songfic for you. A Songfic about Janos Audron and what might have happened after he fell into the demon dimension. Please R & R.


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A/N: Holy cow this is morbid. I really am a bit worried for my sanity. Though I've read worse... Hmm...

A Songfic about Janos Audron and what might have happened after he fell into the demon dimension

Song: What's the Life For © to Creed, Janos Audron, the Hylden and etc. © to Edios Interactive and Crystal Dynamics.

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"What's This Life For"

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Hurray for a child

That makes it through

If there's any way

Because the answer lies in you

They're laid to rest

Before they know just what to do

Their souls are lost

Because they could never find

How long had it been since he'd fallen through the gate way into the demon dimension? A day, a week? Or has it been longer then that. Maybe hundreds of years, perhaps even thousands? Time seems to flow much differently here then he was used to.

'It's cold here' thought Janos Audron, last of the ancient winged race. 'This twisted landscape, it burns my soul to gaze upon it. Yet what other choice have I but to remain?'

He stood from his hiding place and scanned the area, true he should not have survived the decent into this hell, his body weakened from his imprisonment in the Device. And his brave yet foolish battle with the Sarafan Lord, allowing Kain the time he needed to retrieve The Reaver. But oddly enough, that logic didn't seem to hold any sway over his situation.

Hylden were everywhere, and yet nowhere. He could smell then, feel them, even taste them on the air currents. Yet no matter how hard he tried, he could never _see_ the vile beasts. They always remained beyond his grasp.

How he hated the Hylden, more then he'd ever hated anything in his entire eternal life.

He felt shame, knowing these emotions made him less then he once was, and more into what they were.

It wouldn't be so bad if he weren't so alone.

Even in his retreat he had the company of his familiar surroundings, and the memories of his people. But here, there was no such comfort.

The landscape was charred and twisted, almost into a dark parody of what he remembered of his world, Nosgoth. And the screaming of the tormented was enough to drive any normal creature insane, but Janos was no normal creature.

'_Somehow, I will escape this place' _he thought darkly as he spread his great, black, wings and launched himself into the air.

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What's this life for

What's this life for

What's this life for

What's this life for

He thought much of his past, of his meeting with Raziel so many years ago. How he perished in an act to save the Reaver of Soul's unlife. Only to learn on his resurrection, that it was not necessary at all.

He'd laughed weakly at his foolishness, but thought nothing more of it.

Until they _came._

It wasn't long after he was restored that the first warning struck him like a ton of bricks.

Gazing out over the ruined aeries of his former retreat he spotted a form he'd not seen for well over 5 millennia.

'No, it cannot be!' He flared his wings in anger. 'The Hylden could not have returned. No!'

His worst nightmares had finally come to life, the hated Hylden had somehow escaped banishment and returned to his dimension to seek revenge.

'It wasn't bad enough the beasts had to curse us with the vampiric plague, no, they had to return. And seek the destruction of every living creature on the face of this bruised land.'

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He'd fought them, bravely, when they attacked and latter captured him. But he, alone, was no match for the Hylden, the Sarafan Lord.

He thought sure he'd die a second death once they seized him, but to his surprise they allowed him to live. It wasn't until later that he realized, to his utter horror, why they had allowed him to survive.

'I was to power the Device they had constructed in order to cleanse this world of all life, save their own.'

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I see your soul, it's kind of gray

You see my heart, you look away

You see my wrist, I know your pain

I know your purpose on your plane

Don't say a last prayer

Because you could never find

Shaking his head to clear those painful thoughts from his mind he flew on, seeking shelter, and maybe, if he was lucky, sustenance.

Feeding was rare, and the lack of lifeblood was weakening him, almost to the point of collapse. But he refused to surrender. He must find a way to escape, back to the world he belonged to.

He landed on a rocky outcropping and crouched low as a shadow detached itself from something much larger, and slid, like oil Janos thought absently, down the dry river bed towards him.

His eyes shone in the gloom at the prospect of finally having a proper meal. He prepared to pounce and tucked his wings tightly against his back, and waited.

Moments passed and it seemed forever before the shadow was close enough to see it's figure.

Janos gasped gazing down at it, horror spreading across his features.

The shadow stopped and turned it's face up to where he was perched, golden eyes regarding him with contempt.

It laughed and spread great black wings, much like his own, and leapt at him, landing mere inches from his rigid form.

"See what you have become, old bird.' the figure, a twisted and ugly thing, crowed at him. "See with your eyes the face of true revulsion..."

Janos scrambled away from this - thing - and climbed to his feet. '_Impossible_' he nearly fell backwards recognizing his own voice dripping from this creatures horrid lips.

The shadow screamed, "See what you really are!" it wavered slightly before lunging at him screaming and slashing razor sharp talons at his face.

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What's this life for

What's this life for

What's this life for

What's this life for

Janos struggled with his shadow self, but in his weakened state he could barely manage to defend himself.

The creature slashed it's claws across the left side of his face, scoring a couple jagged gashes down to his jaw line. It then slashed at his chest and stomach in an attempt to disembowel him.

In a fit of rage Janos kicked the _shadow _in the gut sending it flying backwards into the rock face he'd landed on. Bones snapped as the wings on the shadow's back broke and fell limply behind it.

The creature screamed again, this time from pain and grief. As if it were suffering some form of torture.

Janos slumped forward slightly holding his bleeding face and glared at the creature. "I am not like you." he panted weakly. "I'll never... become like you." His voice broke, as if he doubted his own words.

He really didn't know what he would become if he stayed here any longer. Remembering that the Hylden, though his heated enemy, were once quite beautiful before they were banished to this dimension, and look what they had become. Would the same thing happen to him in this horrid place? If this creature were to be believed...

He screamed and shot forward punching his fist through the chest of his attacker. "If you truly are who you claim to be, then I am granting you a mercy." His voice wavers, feeling guilt and revulsion for this act. "I am ending your misery now and forever."

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But they ain't here anymore

Don't have to settle the score

Cause we all live

Under the reign of one king

The figure gasped and it's eyes widened in shock.

Their eyes locked for a brief moment and the Shadow began to smile faintly. "You don't know - how long - I had been preying for this day..."

Janos pulled his fist free and stumbled back staring at the object he was now holding in his hand as the figure began to sink towards the ground. He paled considerably, the heart still beating in his half closed fist. '_My god..._'

"I - thank you." The figure gave one last shuddering breath before it was still.

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But they ain't here anymore

Don't have to settle no goddamn score

Cause we all live

Under the reign of one king,

one king, one king

Janos sank to his knees and watched as the figure began to melt back into the shadows which it had emerged from. He shuddered feeling the ever present pulse from the heart he held.

He closed his eyes tightly and began to tear the heart apart with his claws. '_You must never be forced into life again, dark creature. I'll make sure of that._'

He clenched his fists and scattered the pieces where the creature had died and they too melted into the shadows.

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But they ain't here anymore

Don't have to settle no goddamn score

Cause we all live

Under the reign of one king

After a moment of silence for the deceased, Janos climbed to his feet again. A new determination to escape this hell burned in his eyes. He refused to allow himself to become like that creature he'd just fought. '_I'd die before I allowed myself to de-evolve like that again._'

Spreading his wings he took the skies once again.. Hylden be damned... he'd fly into a horde of them if they were guarding another one of those gates.

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I know some of this fic didn't really go a whole lot with the song. But over all I think it was pretty good... Don't you? *blinks* Why are you all staring at me like that? O.o

Sonja: You evil evil horrid girl!! Look what you did to Janos!!! *points to him*

Janos: *pale and staring blankly off into space his lower lip trembling and he's clutching at his robes which are bunched in his lap rocking back and forth gently.*

O.O ohhh I'M SO SORRY *sobs and glomps Janos*

Sonja: Wicked, wicked girl. *turns to readers* You really should pelt her with over ripe fruits now. *nods and grins evily*

Please R & R...

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